Whether indoor-outdoor antennas for HD and other DTV fare are merely a quick fix for the digital transition, while waiting for cable, DBS and new media digital solutions to fully emerge, is yet to be seen. But in the interim, Antennas Direct has introduced the new Lacrosse HD antenna that it says gives as much of its weight (or lightweight) to style as to function. And that style is mostly of the stealth variety.
The two-year old St. Louis company said its Lacrosse model is based upon remote sensing technology once only available to the U.S. military, and is the first design to employ state-of-the-art reception capabilities with a revolutionary sleek design that will complement the decor of even the most discerning homeowner.
Some of Antennas Direct's marketing (especially the part where their antennas are not supposed to be noticed) appears targeted directly to female consumers, who are widely credited with being more fashion-conscious than their male counterparts. (The architecture-neutral approach, for example, of thin flat-screen TV sets is known to widely appeal to women who do not want entire rooms in their homes taken up by bulky TV systems.)
Antennas Direct's approach is, more or less, not seeing is believing. The Lacrosse offers a max gain 10.8 dB, is multi-directional, and responds across the entire UHF spectrum. The antenna stands 14-inches tall x 20-inches wide and weighs less than 7 pounds. It's optimized for 400-850 MHz. The Lacrosse will start hitting store shelves by late summer, and will come with a 90-day return policy and a lifetime warranty. No price points announced yet.
